Shoe form



June 28, 1932 LEGGE 1,865,117

SHOE FORM Filed Oct. 2. 1950 Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES ALFRED G. LEGGE, OF BROCK' ION, MASSACHUSETTS SHOE romii Application filed October 2, 1930. Serial No. 485,892.

This invention relates to shoe forms and more particularly to shoe forms having a flexible toe part adapted to be urged into engagement with the interior of the toe part of a shoe by a member connected thereto and adapted to engage the heel of the shoe. It is the object of the invention to provide a shoe form of this general type of low cost and which is so arranged that the interior of the shoe is substantially unobstructed.

With this in view, the invention contemplates the provision of a form having a low cost heel engaging portion. This is accomplished by forming the heel engaging portion from a narrow strip of flexible material which may be the same as that of the toe part of the form, such for example as celluloid. This narrow strip is bent to U form and connected at its free ends to the toe part, preferably, by a spring strong enough to force the toe part of the form into the toe part of the shoe. The narrow strip of flexible material should be stiflened sufliciently to resist the action of the spring, such for example, as by the provision in a portion thereof of a corrugation.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction With the accompanying drawing: in which,

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a shoe form embodying the invention positioned in a shoe; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are elevational and plan views, respectively, of the shoe form.

A shoe form 10 illustrating an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing positioned in a shoe H. The form 10 comprises a hollow toe part 12, preferably, of sheet celluloid. A narrow strip 13, preferably, of sheet celluloid bent to U-form is connected at its free ends 14 and 15 to the rear portion of opposite side walls of the form 10, the bent portion 9 of the strip being adapted for engagement with the interior of the heel of a shoe. Preferably, a resilient connection is provided between the body of the strip 13 and the toe part of the form. For this purpose, as illustrated, a slot 16 is formed near each of the free ends 14 and 15 to receive a rivet 17 secured in the toe part 12. A spring 18 is secured at one end to the rivet 17 and at its other end to a rivet 19 fixed in the strip 13. The spring 18 should be strong enough to force the toe part 12 snugly into the toe part of the shoe. The flexibility of the strip 13 normally is greater than the desired flexibility of the spring 18 and is decreased a suitable amount by suitable reinforcement, such as corrugations 20 and 21.

The slots 16 permit longitudinal movement of the strip 13 relative to the toe part 12 as the shoe form 10 is inserted in a shoe thereby rendering the form adjustable to the length of the shoe. stiifen the strip 13 suflicient to decrease the flexibility of the latter to less than that of the springs 18 thereby permitting the springs 18 to force the bent portion 9 of the strip 13 and the toe part 12 snugly into engagement with the interior of the shoe.

The shoe form of the invention is of simple and inexpensive construction inasmuch as the amount of material in the strip 13 is small and may be the same as the inexpensive material of which the toe part is formed. Consequently, the strip 13 may be shaped by similar factory operations as are employed in shaping the toe part of the form.

I claim:

1. Ina shoe form, the combination of a toe part, a narrow strip of sheet celluloid bent so that its ends may be connected to said toe part, a separate spring connecting opposite sides of said toe part and points of said strip spaced from the ends thereof, the flexibility of said strip normally being greater than the flexibility of said springs, means for decreasing the flexibility of the portions of said strip extending from points spaced The corrugations 20 and 21 from the ends of the strip to points adjacent the bent portion thereof, and means for guiding the free ends of said strip.

2. In a shoe form, the combination of a toe part, a narrow strip of sheet celluloid bent so that its ends may be connected to said toe part, a separate spring connecting opposite sides of said toe part and points of said strip spaced from the ends thereof, the flexibility of said strip normally being greater than the flexibility of said springs, a longitudinal corrugation extending from near each end of said strip and terminating adjacent said bent portion, and means for guiding the free ends of said strip.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALFRED G. LEGGE. 5: 

